The Fun Time Consultation

 

Disabled Children and Young people who currently use residential care based in Leeds were invited to give their views on the new units being planned for disabled children in a Fun Time afternoon at Spring  half term. LiLAC the preferred bidder, had several stands. This included their builders (Jack Lunn), the maintenance team (Gleesons)and the architects (Halliday Clark).

Visitors were able to try on hard hats and high visibility jackets, just like they will be able to if they visit the building site.Some people wanted to keep their hats forever! There were pictures to show how the sites are now, and how they will be if the buildings are built to the plans we have at present.

The architects had done lots of work making a model bedroom. It showed how each room is really spacious and has its own ensuite bathroom with a shower. There was a carpet and a pretend bed and pretend desk and you could sit down at the desk and do some colouring. Everyone liked the bedrooms, and ideas were shared about how the bathrooms must be safe, and how some young people prefer baths. One person wanted to know where the vacuum cleaner would be so they could vacuum their room.

We marked out a space showing a sensory room. The Leeds Inclusion Scheme Toy Library lent us lots of equipment you could use in a sensory room, to touch and feel with lights. Cherie and Steven from the Childrens Learning Disability Nursing Team were helping there and they found the young people who played in it really liked the sensory equipment.

We invited young people to have a wish list of what else they like to play with. The list showed they really liked going on the trampoline we had! We will make sure there are good links to the local swimming pools in our new units – both of them are planned near new swimming pools. We are looking into music systems and there will be the ability to use computers all through the new buildings.We will be looking to get some really comfy (and hard wearing) chairs and sofas.

As well as this we had workers from Speech and Language therapy, the Children’s Community

 

 

Nursing Team, the Adult Independent Living Project and Children and Young People’s Complaints Team there. Parents particularly were interested in these stands.

 

 Entries for the name of the new units were received. 

There will be another consultation event soon.

All the young people who attended the Fun Time and their parents  received certificates showing they helped with the consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new units,en-suite bathrooms and design

In the new units each bedroom will have an ensuite bathroom, but the rooms have been designed so that if the young person using the room did not have the skills to use the bathroom , or be left in charge of it without supervision, the bathroom can be locked off. This makes the bedrooms more adaptable to young people with a variety of needs. Although the new short break unit will have 12 beds, just like Broom Court, the accommodation will be much more accessible and suitable for the disabled children and young people using it, and will help them to gain skills and independence not possible within Broom Court.

PFI consultation with parents: 16th October 2007, part II

Questions asked … and answers given, part II 

18. What plans have you made for a smooth transition for current Broom Court users?

There will be a process of consultation, and then as we get near to the time, we will make a clear programme, building on the work that was undertaken when Rowan Gardens moved to Acorn Lodge.

19. How do parents find out about this project and services available?

I will invite you to events, and you can contact me by phone or email with any queries.

20. Can staff always wear badge, and have a noticeboard with their photos and names on it?

Yes. That is a good idea, and we will build it into both present developments and future design.

21. Will you future-proof building (in terms of technology) e.g. WiFi?

That has been built into the planning for the building, as far as is possible.

22. Will staff change?

Staff do change over time, but if they wish to remain, existing staff will have employment rights to do so, even if the care services are provided by an independent provider.

23. Will there be better outdoor facilities and a safe play area?

Yes.

24. Will there be CCTV for safety and security?

If CCTV is appropriate, it can be used for external security.

25. Will there be a  webcam in public areas, so that parents can see their children?

It is not appropriate to have webcams in the children’s home, and we would not receive registration from OFSTED if we were to take up this suggestion (this question generated a lot of debate).

26. Can we have more transparency, working with parents and staff to build better relationships?

Yes. We constantly seek to improve this work.

27. Can we have regular updates, not just reviews, at convenient times?

Yes. This is something you can use the reviews to plan.

28. Can we have more details in a diary of what has happened on the short break, because it sometimes feels inadequate at present?

Yes. Again this is some thing to raise at the review – or directly, if it is a long time until the next review.

29. Can we have a parents’ evening or open day?

Yes. It is a long time since the last one.

30. Can two-way communications be improved so that care plans are always met?

Yes. This is something that needs to be worked at.

31. Can transport offered to and from short break include the luggage?

This is something we are working hard to resolve.

32. If clothes are not returned, or  sent home dirty, or child in wrong trousers, what should a parent do?

The parent should raise it directly at the time, and if not satisfied with the outcome, should make a complaint.

33. Sometimes the  report will say child slept all night, but when parents ask this is not always true. What should we do?

The parent should raise it directly at the time, and if not satisfied with the outcome, should make a complaint.

34. Do you understand that Broom Court very much valued for parents as a break from caring?

Yes. However we all know that we need to work hard to improve services so that they are as good as we can achieve.

35. Do you understand that parents are concerned short breaks should be available when young people are 18?

Yes. That is why it is so important to engage with the transition planning which is available from the Transition Team when young people are 14, so that services can be planned to meet the needs.

PFI consultation with parents: 16th October 2007, part I

Questions asked … and answers given

1. What is the timeframe?

The replacement for Broom Court will be open in September 2009, and the new 14-18 unit will open in January 2010.      

2. Is the whole of Broom Court closing or just the Transitions Unit?

Broom Court will close when the new unit opens. There will be 12 beds in the new unit, with three designed as a self-help unit for young people 14-18.

3. Will parents/young people be involved in the design?

Yes. Kerry Roling has already been doing some work with young people, and it is displayed today, and this is the strt of the process of consultation.

4. What does PFI stand for?

Public Finance Initiative – it is the way the cost of building the new units is funded. The Children’s funding is for £5m and is attached to the Adult Independent Living Project, which is a £50m project. This project will provide tenancies for adults with learning disabilities, which young people reaching adulthood will be eligible for.

5. How do we access services for adults  now? As parents we need to plan forward for 16 year olds, who currently may need to go out of authority.

The Transition Team provide a service to all 14+ young people who are eligible for a 14+ Transition Review at school.The services I have described for adults will be available until new accommodation is built, so for young people reaching 18 this year, it is not ready.

6. Will you be undertaking training for current staff?

Yes. There is a constant programme of development for existing staff. They are being involved in the development and consultation for the new units, and this includes reconsidering how services are delivered.

7. What happens for those who cannot live independently? Those who have multiple needs? Need 24 hour care?

This question is about the new development in the Adult Independent Living Project, with which the new children’s units are associated. Adult services will still provide for people with high dependency needs, and will aim to give them as much independence in small units as possible. So a person with lots of need for support can be supported in their own tenancy.

8. Will respite be available  for adults who still live with their parents?

This is a developmental service idea which has been raised with adult services.

9. How will people be kept informed?

This is the first consultation meeting, and there will be further meetings as the programme progresses.

10. Will you take notice of parents’ views that there must be a trampoline?

We are looking at this, and considering a trampoline built into the floor of the large play area.

11. Will there be a swimming pool/access to a swimming pool/hydrotherapy?

We are looking at how to work with Leisure Services to ensure good access to a range of activities, including swimming in an inclusive way.

12. Will there be a sensory room?

Yes.

13. Why can’t Broom Court stay?

Broom Court needed to be updated, and made more accessible. We have been given the money to build a replacement short breaks unit. We thought about whether to replace on the same site, either by knocking Broom Court down, or building the new unit next door, but we thought either would lead to nine months when we could not offer respite, so we decided to use a different site.

14. Is it going to tender? How does the bid for contracts work?

The contract for building the units is associated with the Adult programme, and has already gone out to tender. A decision about whether the Care Services go to tender has yet to be made.

15. Is it possible to increase the size?

No. The new short break unit will have nine short break beds, and three self-help beds, just as at present, but they will be better laid out and more accessible.

16. Can there not be more units around the city?

We have been given the money to build one replacement building. This decision was made before I became involved, and it is not possible to change the decision.

17. What is happening to the land?

We have been given land from Education to build the new unit on, and the present land will return to Leeds City Council for them to use as they consider appropriate. You can look on it as a swap.

Consultation with staff 13/9/07

Questions asked – and answers given

1. Will there be permanent beds or shared care beds?

The short break unit will have 12 beds for children and young people, which each can use for a few day each time, so over 100 children will use the unit in the course of a year. The 14-18 unit it will be for young people who are staying for a year or more, so the unit will become their home for up to 4 years.

2. What will happen with emergencies?

Neither of these units are expected to be used for emergencies, because they are for planned care.

3. What specialist input will there be?

Specialist nurses, doctors , psychologists, speech therapists, etc will be available as they are at present. We are going to write a clear plan for the care services, and will consider in this process what specialist staff might be needed.

4. Will the short break unit  provide support for children with learning disabilities?

Yes.

5. Will the short breaks unit  provide  support for children with no learning disabilities but severe physical disabilities?

Yes.

6. Are there any other cities that have created a 14-18 unit for young people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour already?

I am still researching this.

7. How will you replace  the independent flat at Broom Court?

Three beds will be set aside to be a self help unit, with their own kitchen, lounge and entrance.

8. From a staff point of view, how will personal security of non-car users on the night shift be ensured?

These issues will be addressed through the process Human Resources uses when a workplace moves.

9. Could service design be improved through more daytime and teatime visits when introductions are made?

This can be addressed through the planning for care services, and this is a helpful suggestion.

10. What is the division between those with physical disabilities and learning disabilities?

In planning short breaks for young people there will be the intention to enable groups of young people who can enjoy each others company to share time together, matching for issues such as age and interests.

11. Will the service include the flexibility to move 17-18 year olds to adult provision?

The 14-18 provision will be part of a planned pathway to adult services, and will enable the young people have a well planned timely move on.

Welcome to leeds4disabledchildren!

This weblog is to record the whole process of consultation about building two new units for disabled children in Leeds, and I want to involve and welcome readers comments and input into the process. The units are a new eight bedded resource for young people 14 to 18 with learning disability and challenging behaviour, and a 12 bedded short breaks unit for disabled children and young people between 6 and 18, which will replace the current resource at Broom Court.

So far we have held three consultation events for staff, parent/carers and stakeholders, and four sessions for children and young people who use the existing service. The questions asked at these consultations have been kept, and will be published soon together with responses and answers, which you can then respond to and raise further questions through this blog, and future meetings.